12 Days Kenya & Tanzania 5 Star

The finest tour on our books; this twelve-day adventure is about plunging into the poetic landscapes, exotic parks, and wonderful wildlife of both Kenya and Tanzania. Step inside the ancient Ngorongoro Crater, capture the splendor of the Big Five, sip sundowner’s in the bush, and live the dream of Africa…

Your host will be on hand when you arrive at the airport and will take you to the luxurious Boma Hotel. This elegant property, one of Nairobi’s finest, is conveniently located near the airport which means you’ll be resting and relaxing in your room shortly after arrival.

Accommodation:Tortilis CampMeal Plan: Full Board – Breakfast, Lunch and DinnerActivity: Short flight to the magnificent Amboseli before an afternoon game drive.

After a delicious breakfast at The Boma Hotel and a short 45 minutes’ flight, you will start to taste the real Africa at the Amboseli National Park. This park, located on the Tanzanian border, is considered the best place to see free-ranging elephants in all of Africa. You will also see plenty of giraffes, lions, and cheetahs in a variety of habitats including marshes, plains, woodlands and more. Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s highest free-standing mountain, watches over this national treasure. The afternoon game drive will show all these wonders to you and more. It will be hard to tear yourself away from the park, but it will be well worth it to stay at the Tortilis Camp, a truly authentic African luxurious camp with elegant furnishings featuring unparalleled views of the Kilimanjaro. After a relaxing dinner enjoying the incredible mountain views, you will sleep well in the spacious tents that offer the ultimate in comfort.

The day starts with breakfast and a morning game drive where you’ll see white rhinos, wildebeests, zebras and many other species. Undoubtedly, you will also see many of the more than 400 species of birds that inhabit the park. Amazingly, the sites you see in the morning will be quite different from those you’ll see on the afternoon game drive as the various creatures respond to their unique biological clocks.

Depending on the time of year, the terrain will vary – from Ernest Hemingway’s “Snows of Kilimanjaro” to the hot dry summer to the life-giving rainy season – but it will always be beautiful. The routes taken will depend on weather conditions but they all offer unforgettable scenery, so keep your camera ready.

At mid-day, when the heat drives all of East Africa into the shade, you can lounge in the Tortilis pool, take a siesta in your comfortable tent or meet fellow travelers for a refreshing drink at the bar. An optional visit to a tribal village or a walking safari is available.

Once again you will be able to experience game-drives in the morning and in the afternoon. Both drives will give you great wildlife viewing opportunities. You will see large herds of local grazing animals going by, and also have a good chance of seeing some of the big five. You will also have the chance to take a “walking safari” for a close up view of Kenya, along with an optional visit to an authentic tribal village. When you need a break, take a dip in the camp’s pool or take a nap in your cool, comfortable tent. After all these adventures, you will be more than ready for a mid-day nap in your cool, comfortable tent or a dip in the camp's pool to escape the heat of the day.

When those of us in the west hear the term “African Safari” the picture that comes to mind is the Maasai Mara Reserve, which is where you are going today. Here is where you’ll find the grasslands, the lions, the jackals, the wildebeests and more. This will also be your opportunity to get to know the Maasai, the semi-nomadic natives of Kenya. These cattle-herding people have managed to preserve their way of life through the centuries; visiting them is an enriching experience. Tonight you’ll stay at the exquisite Sand River Mara Camp set on the bank of the Mara River on a truly spectacular location. Throughout the day elephants, giraffes, zebras and impalas come for a drink while a large hippo pod rest lazily in the river. The Camp evokes a feeling of the early 1920’s era with beautiful and comfortable furniture. Guests find Sand River Mara Camp a throw back in style combined with modern luxury of today.

You will be glad to have a second day to explore the Maasai Mara Reserve and to stay at the Sand River Mara Camp. Today you’ll have both a morning and an afternoon game drive and you’ll marvel at how completely different they are. You will be able to see Kenya's famed wildlife up close; including cheetahs, zebras, buffalo, wildebeests, hyenas, antelope, giraffes and lions. These drives will certainly provide a number of outstanding photo opportunities. The well-appointed accommodations at the Sand River Mara Camp include private verandas and restrooms located en suite. You can easily catch a quick nap in your room, or visit the pool and bar area while you're waiting for your next game-drive. You can also go on a walking tour with one of the rangers from the reserve, or stop by the Maasai village to experience their hospitality and culture.

Once again you will be able to experience game-drives in the morning and in the afternoon. Both drives will give you great wildlife viewing opportunities. You will see large herds of local grazing animals going by, and also have a good chance of seeing some of the big cats. If you’re able to visit between July and October, you may be able to witness the Great Migration, when huge herds of Thomson’s gazelles, wildebeests and zebras travel in mass from the Serengeti. It is an unforgettable experience that is not to be missed. No matter when you visit, you will also have a chance to take a “walking safari”, or visit a local tribal village if you wish. You will learn about the Maasai way of life and how they have managed to retain their semi-nomadic customs even in today’s modern world, when so much of their world is at risk.

Today we fly to the Four Seasons Safari Lodge in the Serengeti. Located deep within Africa’s finest game reserve, this outstanding property is a sanctuary of Four Seasons comfort. Here you get up close and intimate with lions, leopards and elephants – yet always feel safe and pampered. This vast Tanzanian landscape hosts one of earth’s last remaining wildlife spectacles: the annual Great Migration, when a staggering number of herbivores trek across the Serengeti plains in search of water and fresh grass, hungry predators following in their wake. Over the next two days, your adventure may reveal giraffes, wildebeests, elephants and much more on morning and afternoon game drives through the boundless Serengeti, home of one of the largest wildlife populations in the world. Keep your camera at the ready for a flash of cheetahs, herd of buffalo or pride of lions. Here, too, reside over 500 species of birds, among them eagles, who glide effortlessly above the sun-soaked landscape.

Nestled within the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, in the vicinity of the great annual migration, the new Four Seasons Safari Lodge is a dream African hideaway offering spectacular views of wildlife roaming over miles of bush, an active water hole and magical sunsets of the African savannah. All of the Lodge's 74 rooms, suites and villas feature luxurious en suite bathrooms and are decorated with handpicked African artwork. All Corner Suites and Private Villas feature private pools overlooking the panorama of Serengeti's plains. From the bedroom step out through floor to ceiling glass doors onto your private teak deck. From here, enjoy your own game viewing. Four Seasons Safari Lodge's main restaurant serves Pan-African and international cuisine. 'Theatre cooking' in the open kitchen shows guests the freshness and quality of the products used by the chefs. The restaurant prepares breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast and dinner is always served as a buffet. The Lodge facilities include a restaurant, lobby lounge, bar, boma, wine cellar, art gallery and gift shop. The infinity pool and Anantara Spa provide for ultimate relaxation after an exciting day of game drives.

After breakfast we take a morning drive en route Ngorongoro Crater, a collapsed volcano and bucolic sanctuary supporting a wide array of wildlife, including the elusive black rhino. For the next two nights we take up residence at the Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge, an all-suites wood log cabin style retreat set in 50 acres of virgin Tanzanian bush in the Ngorongoro volcanic landscape, located a few steps from the Ngorongoro Crater Conservancy Gate. This all inclusive property features 20 spacious private log cabins with fire place, a restaurant, a bar and conference facilities. Indulge in moments of relaxation at the swimming pool or at the Mvua African Rain Spa after a full-day game drive. The Ngorongoro Crater itself is all that remains of a long-extinct volcano. The 2000-foot high crater rim encloses a depression measuring 100 square miles, which provides water and vegetation for wildlife, as well as the cattle of the Maasai people. You are very likely to witness Maasai herders and their cattle passing through the area.

Accommodation:Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge
[Alt:The Manor at Ngorongoro]Meal Plan: Full Board - Breakfast, Lunch and DinnerActivity: Descend to the Ngorongoro Crater floor and enjoy a full day of game viewing with a picnic lunch.

Today we shall pack a picnic lunch and spend the day within the crater. There are around 30,000 large animals within the crater, so you are bound to see lots of wildlife: large herds of wildebeest, antelope and zebras roam the landscape, often being pursued by hyenas, cheetahs or lions. The lake inside the crater is home to numerous colorful bird species, and you can see hippos lounging in the water. Every so often, visitors see impressive bull elephants passing through the crater area in search of water, though herds with cows and calves are rare. You can also visit a Maasai village to learn more about what living in this unique area is like, as well as getting acquainted with the Maasai culture. This is a key part of a safari in Tanzania.

A day that seemed a long way off has come much too soon. Business, work and home await and it is time to return to that other world and bid your travel companions goodbye. After you enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your resort, you will be transferred to Arusha arriving in time for lunch. You later transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport where you will board your flight to Nairobi and connect with your outbound flight home, carrying a lifetime of memories from your African Safari with you.